


Fifteen Inches

by SalmonCenter



Series: Jasper and Alice [1]
Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Canon Compliant, Discussions of age gap, Empath Jasper Hale, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Height Differences, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mentions of Age Differences, Pre-Canon, Pre-Series, Psychic Abilities, Psychic Alice Cullen, Weddings, vampire related violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:42:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25451848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SalmonCenter/pseuds/SalmonCenter
Summary: Jasper Hale is six feet, two inches tall.  Mary-Alice Brandon is four feet, eleven inches tall.Jasper reflects on what this means to him throughout his new life.
Relationships: Alice Cullen/Jasper Hale, Carlisle - Relationship, Edward Cullen/Bella Swan
Series: Jasper and Alice [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883479
Comments: 54
Kudos: 153





	1. Meet me in Philadelphia

**Author's Note:**

> In the books, Jasper and Alice have a height difference of fifteen inches. No actual age gap, as this story is Canon-Compliant, but it is discussed.

When they first meet, Jasper is struck by her height. She is a small thing, feet dangling from a shiny red stool at the counter. Her skirt reaches past her knees, though he knows it’s designed to end at the thigh. She looks out of place compared to the size of the humans at the bar, but Jasper does not give them much thought. Even a Vampire as small as she is a threat to the entire town. Jasper knows not to underestimate his kind, but height does relate to strength as a general rule. He is pleased to know that he is the strongest being in the room. She has to jump to reach the floor, feet landing gently on the linoleum below her, and he falls for her then. 

She is not a threat to him, not at her height, and her emotions suddenly overwhelm him. He allows them to. There is excitement, edging in on an anxiety that does not frighten him. No, instead it’s laced with happiness and intertwined with lust, pulling him away from unease. All of it threads together in a wave of sensation that warms him to his core. It lights up a soul that he didn’t know he had. 

Jasper pushes his own emotions towards her and takes her small hand in his own. He feels privileged to offer the small girl hope, like a sacrifice at an altar. He is surprised that she does not take it for herself but rather spreads it back between them. There is no fear in her words, and her eyes do not trace the silver scars that mar his skin. Instead, she looks into his eyes as if she has done it a thousand times before. Comfortable. She is the first person to ever feel comfortable around him. 

He is so dedicated to her that he doesn’t even notice the way people stare.


	2. First Test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the books, Jasper and Alice have a height difference of fifteen inches. No actual age gap, as this story is Canon-Compliant, but it is discussed.

They spend their first month together in the forest. They lose who they once were in the company of each other, and neither of them mind it. Their clothes become soiled. Jasper’s hair mats up even though Alice tries to drag her fingers through it and separate the knots. Jasper returns the favor, but her hair is too short to need much combing. Animal blood stains their skin, and Jasper needs to feed daily to be sated. In short, they look feral. This makes it all the more impressive when the woman approaches her.

“Are you alright? How did you get here?” Her voice wavers, but she stands her ground. Alice seems to draw people in, no matter the situation. Alice is certainly a dangerous person to find alone in the forest, and her pearly white teeth make this clear. Still, the woman stays, as Alice knew she would. Jasper watches from a particularly strong branch in a redwood tree, but even now the smell is overwhelming. His throat screams at him to feed, and he knows that this woman will not be missed, not in such an isolated area. He has begun to plan his attack subconsciously. Alice is quick to intervene.

“What’s your name?” Alice asks, eyes wide and innocent. Her accent is a mix of Jasper’s and Carlisles, the two most influential people in her life, despite having only met the former. She is practically singing. Jasper knows that this means he will do well. “Do you live here?”

“You can call me Miss T.” The woman crouches down in front of Alice and holds her hands out. Alice takes them eagerly, small pale hands enveloped in dark skin. “I live in Philadelphia, and I teach math to girls just like you. Where do you live?”

A teacher. She lives in Philadelphia. Miss T. Jasper repeats this mantra in his head, trying in vain to personify the meal in front of him. Carlisle has recommended this, according to Alice. It really becomes confusing when you take the advice of a man you’ve never met, but Carlisle already holds Jasper’s respect. A teacher. She lives in Philadelphia. Miss T. The burn doesn’t fade, but now Jasper can feel the woman’s trepidation, and most of all, her concern for Alice.

Jasper’s eyes are still golden when Alice settles into his lap, a new kind of satisfaction radiating from both of them. He is still desperately thirsty but Alice is forcing so much pride onto him that he doesn’t care. 

“She’s going to tell her class that the woods are haunted.” Alice giggles against his chest. “I guess I ran too fast! Whoops.” Then, she frowns, eyebrows scrunched together. It’s not particularly concerning. 

“What do you see?” Jasper prods gently, grinning down at her. “I know that face.” It’s the face she makes when she’s confused, and it will forever capture Jasper’s cold heart again and again. 

“I thought she did numbers. There are letters, too?” The vision is gone and Alice’s eyes refocus. “What’s the criss-cross one?”

“An X. She might teach older girls.” Jasper offers. He vaguely remembers seeing X’s used as placeholders for the boys in higher grades but had never paid enough attention to understand why. Education wasn’t his top priority as a human. 

Alice knows how to read, more or less. She has memorized just about every sign in Pennsylvania and can even read them aloud. She doesn’t know many other written words, but easily recognizes the difference between numbers and letters. She can count indefinitely, but now Jasper frowns. 

“I never got that far,” He admits. “Just adding and subtracting.”

Alice pulls away from him and returns in an instant, pressing a stick against Jasper’s chest. Jasper _definitely_ knows this face. Whatever it is she wants from him, he won't be able to refuse her.

“Show me.” It’s a demand. 

They spend the rest of the night drawing numbers in the dirt, adding small numbers together until Alice begs to be taught math that Jasper does not know.


	3. Carnival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the books, Jasper and Alice have a height difference of fifteen inches. No actual age gap, as this story is Canon-Compliant, but it is discussed.

Nobody remembered their age in the heat of the South. As the wind wiped up stinging sand, Jasper separated the young from the old into lines. Babies went to one line, screaming and fussing while their mothers were promptly bitten. They didn’t let the mothers watch the children be devoured. That only stoked resentment. Instead, the young were brought into the barn and tossed in with the Newborns, bones shattering under his tight grip. You were either a child, or you weren’t. Nothing else mattered in the selection process. 

They made the mistake only once. The boy looked older than he was, muscles rippling under his delicate skin. His eyes sported dark circles and he was as tall as those around him. They realized, later, that he had been a miner, and that his profession has caused his outward appearance to deceive them. The boy woke up later with no restraint and seemingly limitless strength. His teeth were sharper, his arms were stronger, and he would not yield. It had taken four of the strongest to hold him down while Peter destroyed him, and Maria forbids them from ever speaking of it again. They stopped taking humans from the mines, too frightened of making the same mistake again. 

Since then, Jasper had understood the danger of Immortal Children. He also knew that you could not hide one for long. They didn’t listen to reason and couldn’t follow the rules. It was an agreement that their entire species had made since the dawn of time, and he hardly ever thought about the possibility of them being created again. Perhaps that’s why he frowned in confusion when innkeepers offered them two beds, or when Alice was given trinkets and ribbons by adults on the street. Alice would thread the ribbons into her hair and insist that Jasper pin them in against her scalp. When they hunted, the ribbons caught on branches and Jasper would spend the rest of the night searching for more. 

Ribbons, buttons, and little bells amuse her more than anyone else Jasper knew. He keeps his eye out for them while they weave in and out of pop-up tents and poorly maintained rides. It’s a welcome distraction from all of the people here for the carnival, even though Jasper was sure that humans slept at night. Alice assures him that it would have been much more crowded during the day, twirling under his hand as she speaks. Her dress spins below her, lifting up and framing her waist. Jasper grins, lifting her up in the air and letting her jump for a few seconds longer than she is actually capable of. He doesn’t let it continue for very long. People might notice the man lifting the girl effortlessly by the tips of his fingers.

Jasper appreciates what she’s trying to do. Alice is preparing him for the Cullens, trying to test his limits. It really isn’t terribly crowded, he has to admit, and Alice’s joy is always contagious. He wonders idly if he wouldn’t follow her into Hell. Would it even be Hell if she were there? The smell of blood forces its way through his thoughts, but Jasper only has a moment to think about his overwhelming thirst before Alice is wrapped around him. She clings to him, feet high off the ground, and puts her forehead against his before letting their lips meet. It is enough, for now, to keep him in check. 

They stay for several hours and still don’t manage to visit every stall. Alice’s face scrunches up when the lights start going out, and displeasure radiates from her. Jasper just laughs, pulling her close and wrapping one arm around her side. Suddenly, someone is yelling at them. Jasper growls, but there’s no sense of danger that accompanies the noise. Alice pulls him closer to the noise. 

“I’m going to win a prize!” She whispers excitedly. 

“You, Sir! You are one-hundred and sixty pounds,” His voice is genuine, if not a little bit desperate. There’s an empty top hat beside his feet, and Jasper raises an eyebrow. “And you, my dear, are 95 pounds. Just a slight little thing.” The man leans forward before gesturing to his oversized scale. “Am I wrong?” There are little bags on his stand. Jasper sees movement and groans. They /cannot/ take care of a fish. He is about to step in when Alice drops a handful of coins into his hat. 

“You’re right!” She exclaims. Jasper wonders when she has had the chance to weigh herself. He has certainly never been on a scale. “That’s amazing! Jasper, isn’t that amazing?” She looks up at him, golden eyes twinkling. Before Jasper can answer, the man speaks again.

“Just because you’re such a kind little lady,” He announces with a wink. Alice is hanging on to his every word. “You can have a prize anyways.” 

They leave the carnival as they came, save for the glittering pink ribbon clipped into Alice’s pitch-black hair.


	4. Shame

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the books, Jasper and Alice have a height difference of fifteen inches. No actual age gap, as this story is Canon-Compliant, but it is discussed.
> 
> Update: This was once the Carnival chapter, since I accidentally posted it twice. I am a fool.

Time passes differently for them. Grudges are kept for centuries and problems can be blissfully ignored for just as long. Jasper has heard rumours of their kind sitting still for so long that they petrify, but that’s all they are. Rumours. What weight do two years hold in an eternity? Why is Alice so sure that they will be accepted when Jasper’s own eyes are still a vibrant red? She answers his question before he asks. The Cullens, she tells him, embrace humanity. Their internal clocks tick to the beat of human hearts- slowly, second by second. It makes sense, of course, that Alice shares this trait. She has been shaped by the future, by Carlisle’s patience and Esme’s warmth. Their sociable nature has rubbed off on her, and Jasper can only trust that two years of attempted vegetarianism is enough to convince the Cullens that he is accepting of their lifestyle. 

They are greeted with open arms. Well, Alice forces their arms open and Jasper encourages them to remain that way. He is even more impressed with their lifestyle after seeing it up close and can’t help but ask the obvious questions. The Cullen family is even more enthusiastic. They want to know everything about the odd pair that has seemingly stumbled into their lives, and they both answer honestly. Despite all of the information they give, Jasper gets the feeling that there is still something they are searching for, something that has been left unsaid. It becomes clear that, as much as they try, no one can truly escape their nature, and the Cullens don’t ask. They leave the question unanswered, though Jasper begins to notice the way they stare. 

It’s five years later when Carlisle finally breaks the ice, just as they’re planning their next move. He has called Jasper into the dining room and Jasper notices that Edward has conveniently fled the house with Alice. He can just smell them on the edge of the property, Alice most likely dragging Edward by the hand to find a new flower she had taken a liking to. As much as Jasper enjoys Alice’s newfound independence, he is still nervous to be alone with Carlisle. 

“Jasper, son,” Carlisle begins, voice as calm and steady as ever. “Alice has come to me and asked to be enrolled in school when we next move.” Jasper raises an eyebrow. Of course, he knew this. Alice had been begging to join the others in school for years, and she definitely wasn’t one to keep thoughts to herself. Was Carlisle going to ask for his permission? That seemed out of character for the Coven leader that allowed his women to drive. 

“Yes, I’m aware. Her self-control has improved drastically.” Jasper answers slowly, unsure of the nature of this conversation. Alice was fine around people, and her slip-ups were far and few between. 

“Good. I’m glad to know she discussed this with you first. There is, of course, the matter of her age.” Carlisle speaks quickly as if he’s afraid that Jasper will interrupt him before he can explain himself. “We’ll need to draw up records for her, and we find that it works best if everyone is officially several years younger than their physical age. It allows us to stay in a certain place for much longer. Do you understand?” Jasper nods, even though he doesn’t really understand. Shouldn’t this be between Carlisle and Alice? Why has he been dragged into something so human?

“All of this begs the question, Jasper, of how old Alice is.” Carlisle’s tone is gentle but firm. Does he expect Jasper to argue? What is there to argue about, exactly? 

“I don’t know that. She doesn’t remember her birth date.” Jasper allows honestly to flow from his words, to convince Carlisle that he really doesn’t care what age Alice chooses. Carlisle just frowns. 

“Yes, Jasper. I understand. I suppose I’m not being very direct, am I?” Jasper shakes his head in agreement, and Carlisle smiles. There is an emotion radiating from his adoptive father, something akin to pity, but not quite. It doesn’t have the same superiority as pity and carries a tinge of something new. Disgust? No. Shame? “What I mean is, Alice looks very young. It will be difficult to have her pass as anything beyond a Junior in Secondary School. Which is why. . .” Jasper has tuned Carlisle out for a moment, doing some mental math. Juniors are typically Seventeen, as old as Edward had been. A few years younger? That’s fourteen years old. The heels of Jasper’s boots dig into the floor, crushing the wood beneath him. As much as the public liked to report, the people of his time hadn’t gotten hitched at the moment of development. Fourteen-year-olds are _children_

“She was _not_ fourteen years old,” Jasper growls, bringing his hand down against the mahogany table. It dents easily. However, he knows that there is nothing behind his anger but dread. How does he know that she was not? Her memory began with an isolated forest in Mississippi, already undead. Jasper has been with the Cullens long enough to recognize the taboo of Carlisle’s words, as well as the truth behind them. “She was not.” Jasper’s voice is weaker this time, and he looks to Carlisle for guidance. 

“She certainly is not now.” Carlisle’s answer is powerful. It holds in it all of the assumptions that had been made when they first arrived, and all of the acceptance that their family now offered. 

That night, Jasper finds comfort in a body that is not a child’s. He finds comfort in wide hips and a defined chest and cropped hair. He is so confident in his observations now that he has to laugh at the discomfort he felt earlier. Alice gives him a funny look when he does.

Later in the year, he sees Alice off for her first day of eighth grade. Jasper no longer minds that she will fit in, since resembling these children means that no one else has seen what he has seen, and that remains sacred between them.


	5. Maria

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the books, Jasper and Alice have a height difference of fifteen inches. No actual age gap, as this story is Canon-Compliant, but it is discussed.
> 
> Update: This chapter was once Shame because I posted Carnival twice. I am a fool.

Jasper knows she’s coming. They all do, thanks to Alice. She insists that Maria is not a threat, much to Emmett’s disappointment and that she is alone when she finds them in Calgary. She will leave as quickly as she arrives, Alice is sure of this. Jasper isn’t so sure. 

Alice’s visions aren’t often inaccurate, but the Maria that Jasper knows is volatile. She is as much of a threat as a newborn, but with all of the intelligence and the patience of the Volturi. There may be something she can hide from Alice, some sort of attack that occurs so quickly that the psychic can’t catch it. She may be sizing up his new coven, seeing if they are a threat to her hidden army. Maria is always desperate for land, and she has never been so North before. Anything is possible, and Jasper makes that clear at the dining table when Carlisles asks. 

They decided that they’ll move after she sees them, perhaps go back to the States. Rosalie begs for Europe and Edward puts a vote in for Africa. Emmett agrees with Edward (Rosalie practically growls at him for that), but they ultimately decide on Chicago since Edward already owns a house in the mountains. Alice is thrilled, and Jasper is right there with her. They have never been to Chicago. 

“Hello, Maria,” Jasper calls out stiffly. His family is behind him and Alice is by his side. It isn’t difficult to pick out Maria’s emotion from the mess of sensations. He is still too attuned to her after decades of fighting side by side. She’s confused, and it doesn’t take long for Jasper to realize why. There is no leader in his new coven, no aggression behind their stance. She was expecting a fight that they will not reciprocate. 

“Jasper,” She begins, her voice practically a whisper. Suddenly, Jasper is back in Monterrey. The wind around him is dry, whipping his hair up and burning his eyes. Maria is at his ear, taunting him. Encouraging him. Giving him commands that he is all too willing to execute. A newborn struggles beneath him until his skin tears and the body collapses to the ground. No, no. There is no newborn in his grasp. Just a hand. Alice’s hand in his. The wind is no longer so dry. 

“We’re moving, Maria.” Jasper interrupts. “We have no claim on this territory, and you may do with it what you will. We live among humans, and I only ask now that you give us our space.” Maria nods, and respect radiates from her. It isn’t something that Jasper remembers feeling from her since he let Peter and Charlotte go, but he understands why Maria is impressed. His eyes are golden now, just like the rest of his family, and Maria has only seen him with black or red. “It’s nice to see you again, Jasper.” 

“I guess you have a type, huh?” Emmett elbows him on the way home. Jasper only shrugs. He doesn’t really know what Emmett means and he looks to Edward for help. What does he mean? Edward just shakes his head before gesturing back at the field where Maria had been.

“Oh, come on! Petite? Dark hair? Any of that ring a bell?” Emmett teases, and Jasper is suddenly grateful that it’s just them. They had made it a point to track Maria until she left Canada while the others packed. 

“Shut up.” Jasper shoots back, then grimaces. The idea that Maria was once a genuine love interest is laughable. Jasper recognized years ago that she had used his budding gift to manipulate him, offering an oasis comfort in a violent new world. Secretly, he’s grateful that Emmett has pointed it out.

It’s not much, but Jasper knows that Maria was nineteen when she was turned.


	6. Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the books, Jasper and Alice have a height difference of fifteen inches. No actual age gap, as this story is Canon-Compliant, but it is discussed.

The entire family is overwhelmed in the best possible way. Joy permeates every moment of their being, settling into the cracks in the hardwood floor, and forces it’s way into their thoughts and actions. Even Edward has stopped sulking, and how could he? Alice’s excitement is mirrored by Jasper and enhanced, far too powerful to stay contained between the two of them. He can only compare it to first meeting her one rainy night in Philadelphia, the memory still powerful enough to intoxicate his family.

There has only been one sour note in this entire escapade- forging Alice’s birth certificate once again. Jasper has refused to allow her to be any younger than eighteen, but Carlisle is ever reasonable. The younger she is, the longer they can stay, and the laws here aren’t as restrictive as in California. Edward agrees with him, and Esme’s words are gentle. Rosalie couldn’t care less how old Alice pretends to be, too excited for another celebration, and Emmett sides with Carlisle if only to tease him at a later date. Today, Jasper is the stubborn one.

“Eighteen,” He insists, studying the way that Carlisle drags his pen across the cardstock. Despite how boring the others seem to this it is, Jasper finds paperwork fascinating. Specifically, research. He had once tried explaining it to Emmett, comparing it to strategic planning, but his brother remained unconvinced. Even now, Jasper is the only one watching Carlisle forge signatures, but this is also a very private matter. Too private for Alice, even, who is researching wedding decorations with the poor souls that she dragged along. 

“I won’t have her any younger. Please, Carlisle.” Jasper’s voice is low and genuine. He thinks back to the first and only other conversation they have had about this. He realises now why Alice hasn’t joined them. It’s not about her. Not really. “She can’t be younger.”

He glances at him. Jasper doesn’t have to read minds to know what he’s thinking. He is surprised when Carlisle doesn’t ask, but this is supposed to be a happy week. He’s unwilling to push any Jasper anymore. 

Jasper can’t help but grin when he writes _1964_ in looping script. Eighteen years old in two days, just in time for the ceremony. 

Alice comes bounding in a few hours later, arms carrying bags that Jasper immediately relieves her of. She insists on unpacking everything and spreading it out on the floor. They all comply, following her instruction without question. Alice has spent the past few weeks with unfocused eyes. Jasper knows she is making thousands of silent decisions and offers her an arm to lean on, since she is essentially blind to the present. Others might be bothered that she spends so much time in her mind, but Jasper knows that she is really spending time with them, versions they haven’t quite become yet.

The wedding is perfect, not a flower out of place. Even more impressive, Alice is looking right at him. Not past him. Not at something in the distant future. She is perfectly present. Carlisle is walking her down the aisle, not leading her. Their eyes meet and Jasper hears his family shift at the onslaught of emotion.

He doesn’t try to reign in his gift, glad to finally share something good with the people he loves.


	7. New Arrival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the books, Jasper and Alice have a height difference of fifteen inches. No actual age gap, as this story is Canon-Compliant, but it is discussed.

Bella brings with her so many conflicting emotions. Jasper has to spend time alone to sort them all out, away from Alice’s manipulative streak and Edward’s self-loathing and Rosalie’s pure _rage._

Alice is as anxious as she is excited, constantly trying to smooth out the twisted up future. There is the possibility of a new friend. No, there is the certainty of a new friend, and Alice is adept at navigating relationships. She is also pleased with the prospect of their numbers being evened out, finally getting enough girls to rival the boys. Then, the anxiety. Jasper can only imagine that seeing a new friend dead is jarring, especially when it is so possible. He regrets, then, offering to kill the girl. Feeling so sure that he should. She would forgive him in a moment, but her pain would linger. Jasper will do anything to keep Alice away from pain. 

Rosalie’s emotions are as easy as Alice’s to isolate, but for a different reason. While Alice’s emotions are incredibly familiar, Rosalie’s are incredibly consistent. She is angry, jealous, and annoyed. Her hatred is directed towards Edward and Bella, not one to allow for mercy. Perhaps it is that she has followed their rules so well, and now Edward seems to have thrown caution to the wind? Maybe it’s that Edward has found someone he considers to be more beautiful than her, somehow related to how they first met one another? Jasper shakes his head. He doesn’t need to know the intention behind her emotion, just separate it from the mess.

Edward is the most complex, of course. Bella’s arrival in forks has fundamentally changed him, the way Jasper changed when Alice arrived. Carlisle had once been convinced that their kind could not change so drastically after their first years, but Jasper had proved him wrong. And now, Edward was doing the same. Jasper tended to rely on Edward, Carlisle, and Esme to be stationary in his new life, but now he had lost one constant, at least in terms of emotions. 

Jasper shook his head. This was impossible. His brother’s emotions were too strong, influencing his own too much to be able to pull them apart. They were both frightened, angry, and concerned. The only thing Jasper could be sure that he was feeling was relief. 

Finally, Edward wouldn’t be alone. It confirmed that he had not, in fact, been turned too young. His life will finally reach some sort of conclusion in the way that his own had. He wonders if it would help to tell Edward how it had felt meeting Alice for the first time. How he had felt completely enraptured by her the moment he entered the diner. How nothing else had mattered, not that she was a stranger. Not that she was so small and strange. The entire world had collapsed into a pinprick of light that was Alice, that was love. 

In the back of his mind, Jasper is disgusted at himself for feeling a little bit disappointed. If Edward was seventeen and still capable of love, Alice could be younger. He had been so comfortable with the idea that Edward would remain celibate because it meant that Alice was had to be older. He shook his head again, trying to dislodge the disturbing thoughts. 

He finds Alice motionless on the sofa, eyes darting through thousands of invisible possibilities, and leads her gently to their room.


	8. Visiting Bella

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the books, Jasper and Alice have a height difference of fifteen inches. No actual age gap, as this story is Canon-Compliant, but it is discussed.

Bella is Alice’s friend before they even meet. Jasper is (willingly) dragged to the mall on three separate occasions to pick out new outfits for her each time Alice sees a new future, a reason to celebrate. As much as Edward tries to keep them apart, Alice yearns for the relationship even more. When Alice wants something, Jasper wants it, too. Maybe it’s the empath talking, but he’s happy when his wife is happy, and it’s as simple as that. 

Alice’s visions are finally realized when Bella is recovering from James’ attack. She becomes an in-home nurse, visiting on a daily basis and spending hours away from class. None of her instructors mind- No, Alice has always been a straight-A student, enthusiastic in even the most boring classes. Jasper picks up two sets of homework and drives Alice to the Swan home but never steps inside. Not until Alice insists. 

“Come on, Jazz! I bet she’s tired of my face by now.” Alice hops out of the car and lands gracefully. Jasper rolls his eyes. As if anyone could be tired of gazing at Alice’s delicate face. Her eyes leave his face for a moment before re-focusing. It’s not something that Jasper even notices anymore. “It’s the Civil War unit! You don’t need to learn any more about that.” And then she skips inside, having already won the argument despite him not saying a single word. 

Jasper sighs and follows her in. He has to admit that Bella’s scent doesn’t bother him as much as it once did. It’s just background noise now, the pool of blood in the ballet studio having thoroughly desensitized him. He’s not thirsty either, and he realizes that this is why Alice insisted on hunting last night. She’s a manipulative little thing. 

“Good morning!” Alice sings, throwing her arms around Bella. Bella hugs back and glances up, but Jasper has already diffused any tension that lingered in the air, making himself seem incredibly non-threatening, almost boring. It’s something that he does often in class. “Jasper’s taking the day off! Oh, he’s never seen me cook before! Did you take your pills yet?” 

Jasper just nods at Bella from a distance, all too aware of the dried blood that still clings to her stitches. As Alice begins cooking (note: showing off), he realizes that they are being given time to talk. Yes, she is being manipulative, but her intentions are always good. Jasper knows that he and Bella haven’t had a great deal of time to get to know each other, but that’s mainly his own fault.

“Good morning,” Jasper greets her, stepping forward. He sits in an easy-chair carefully, glad that it’s been placed a few feet away from the human. “Does she always cook?” Jasper gestures to where Alice has begun cracking eggs. 

“Oh. Yeah. I mean, I keep telling her that cereal is fine.” Bella raises her voice and Alice giggles. “But. She cooks. Doesn’t she cook at- Right. Probably not.” Her face reddens suddenly. Alice certainly puts on a good show. Jasper can see how Bella would forget. 

“She’s never cooked for me, no,” Jasper answers easily. He always finds it easy to discuss Alice, especially when she’s so liked by the other party. “Though, I have a funny feeling this may be more of a show than a lesson.” Alice has climbed up on the counter to reach a bottle of oil and Jasper laughs. “You’d think we would have tried cooking after all these years.” Bella stills for a moment.  
“How many years?” She asks, voice wavering slightly. Jasper attributes it to pain. 

“We met in ‘48!” Alice beats him to it. “But we got married in the ’80s, so take your pick!” The memory quickly causes a haze of pure happiness to fill the room, but Jasper doesn’t let it linger. 

“That’s-” Bella does some mental math, fingers drumming against her thigh. “Fifty-seven years. Wow.” 

“It’s been a while.” Jasper nods. Alice sets a plate of eggs and toast in front of Bella before finding a seat in Jasper’s lap. At this, Bella’s face turns bright red and she quickly looks away, studying her eggs. “Alice, don’t you think- “ He begins, but Alice interrupts him again. As much as Jasper thinks he’s in control, Alice is the one calling the shots. 

“We’ve been watching this show! What is it called? Project something? It’s all about sewing and models and we’re only in the second season so will you please watch it with us?” Alice already knows his answer, but Bella has started to watch them curiously. Does she think he’ll refuse?

“What channel?” Jasper prompts when Alice hands him the remote. 

“Bravo,” Bella answers, still watching them. After a few moments, she speaks again. “How did you meet?” She adds in casually once Jasper has found the show. It’s mainly directed at Alice. 

“ _I_ was waiting for _him_. Can you believe that? And he took his time, too!”   
Alice is smiling, her body thrumming with energy. “We met in a diner, and then we started looking for Carlise and everyone else. But it was just us, for a while. We lived in the woods!” Bella doesn’t seem surprised enough for this to be news. Edward probably got to her first. 

“You were an impressive little tree-elf.” Jasper teases, and still, Bella is unfazed. It occurs to him that Bella has never looked at them with judgmental eyes. She has never felt particularly uncomfortable around them, or joined in when her friends talk about how the “little one and the tall one are, like, _together._ ” 

It’s a nice change to be around someone that assumes the best.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the books, Jasper and Alice have a height difference of fifteen inches. No actual age gap, as this story is Canon-Compliant, but it is discussed.
> 
> The records described in this chapter are based on actual historical asylum records found in the book  
> "Tracing Your Ancestors in Lunatic Asylums: A Guide for Family Historians." As always, there is no need to pay for this book or the records I used. Contact Lenamendo8@gmail.com for an accessible PDF.

It’s Jasper’s first time in Biloxi and, if he’s going to be honest, it’s underwhelming. Surely Alice’s birthplace is the most amazing, most beautiful place in the world. It should be full of friendly, amiable people with an excess of kindness. What he finds is a normal little coastal town with generally unpleasant people. The woman at the hotel counter gives them a dirty look when they request a room with one bed, and the other humans seem unwilling to discuss the history of the refurbished psychiatric hospital with Alice. 

She has her head rested on his lap now, and Jasper runs his fingers through her soft hair. He recalls doing Alice the same for him once when his hair was filthy and matted. Now, after a joint shower, they’re both air-drying on the hotel bed. Jasper is trying in vain to get Alice’s hair to dry flat instead of straight up. She’s radiating frustration now, so unused to being blocked at every avenue. 

“We have to sneak in. That’s it. They won’t just let us in!” Alice rambles, staring past him. Jasper has spent the last few minutes trying to talk her down from breaking and entering. It’s a lost cause, and now he’s trying to figure out how to do it best. “I’ll go through a window. No, there are bars. Is there a back door? Why do they have so many cameras?”

“It’s a hospital. I’m sure they’re very careful.” Jasper says gently, pressing down a particularly stubborn tuft of hair. It springs back up. 

“They weren’t _that_ careful.” There’s an unusual sense of disgust in Alice’s voice. She’s angry, and she is hardly ever angry. Jasper concedes that she has every right to be upset. How does a hospital lose a patient? Even a century ago, shouldn’t they have looked for her? Why had her family let her go so easily, only putting a bland notice in the paper? 

What happened to Mary-Alice in Biloxi? 

It’s easy enough for Jasper to snatch an extra set of keys while Alice asks for directions. No one really gives them much notice. Jasper is working hard to make them unassuming, just a couple passing through. He tosses her the keys and she rushes to the back door before the keys are suddenly whizzing back towards him. Jasper catches them easily before dropping them just beside the maintenance truck. Alice steps lightly up the stairs and opens a window for him, glancing down at him before disappearing back into the enormous building. Jasper jumps up and follows. 

They only have a few minutes, but that’s more than enough time. Flipping through archived records is something that Jasper absolutely loves. He excels at it, managing much better than Alice. Alice can already see when he’s done and they leave through the window, shutting it on the way out with files tucked under their shirts. 

Alice can’t wait, so they find a clean-ish area in the adjacent woods to look over what they’ve found. The first is a paper carefully ripped out of an Admissions book. 

_  
Date: March Second, 1919  
Name: Mary-Alice Brandon  
Age: Eighteen Years Old  
Reason for Admittance: Acute Mania  
Observation: Mary-Alive Brandon fancies she sees the future. Screams in the early morning, laughing, crying & muttering to herself. Catatonic at times.  
_

Alice looks over a death certificate. 

_  
Biloxi County Asylum  
Notice of Death  
Date of Reception Order, the 16th day of Jan, 1920. I hereby give you notice, that Mary-Alice Brandon, a certified manic Patient received into this Asylum on the Second day of March, 1919, died therein on the 14th day of Jan January 1920. _

_Statement Respecting the Above-Named Patient.  
Name: Mary-Alice Brandon  
Sex and Age: Female, nineteen years  
Married, Single or Widowed: Single  
Profession or Occupation: None  
Apparent Cause of Death: Dementia  
Whether or not ascertained by post mortem examination: No  
_

The discovery is bitter-sweet. 

There’s nothing else to read. Dementia. A flimsy excuse for an unexplained disappearance. Jasper doesn’t feel the need to read more, but Alice does. She scans the papers efficiently, reading into her diagnosis and treatment. She’s silent for a few hours. It’s not exactly what they were hoping to find. 

They find themselves in the same position that they had been in just a few hours prior, with Alice’s head in Jasper’s lap. 

“They shaved my head” Alice murmurs, playing with the hem of Jasper’s pants. “For the lice. Typhoid, too. I guess it was growing out.” It breaks Jasper’s heart when he feels her disappointment. There’s not even a picture. Nothing but impersonal words scribbled out to account for an entire life. “I wish we hadn’t come.” 

“I’m glad we did.” Jasper counters. Alice glances up at him. 

“Why?” She frowns, already trying to pick through the answers he may give, so Jasper answers quickly. 

“You’re nineteen. I was nineteen. “ He pulls her upright and holds her against his chest. “We know your birth date now. Haven’t you always wanted a real birthday party?” Jasper feels Alice smile against him. He rocks her lightly from side to side. “We’re both nineteen. We can go back to school as seniors. Both of us. Carlisle can’t argue about that anymore!”

Alice giggles. The light has returned to her eyes. 

“I don’t feel nineteen. I feel old. I guess I’m a century old! No wonder!” She’s laughing now. “One hundred and five. And my husband is one hundred and sixty-two. That’s one Hell of an age gap!”


End file.
